This cache is placed with permission. Please follow all park rules, noting that the park is open Dawn to Dusk (no night caching, please).
Cell service will be limited in various areas on the AMNHA Geo-Path. Please plan accordingly.
Questions or need to share a challenge with a cache?
Send us a message in the Geocaching app
Remember to bring a pen, items to trade, and follow recommended
Geocaching Etiquette
.
CONGRATULATIONS TO KUROKITTY FOR BEING THE FTF!
AMNHA Geo-Path Series
AMNHA: Salamander
Passport:
Geo-Path
Series: Arabia Mountain Adventures
Password: Located in the logbook
Hours: Sunrise to Sunset
Parking Options: See waypoints (paid or free)
This cache is located in Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. The Preserve is along Klondike Road south of Lithonia in southeastern DeKalb County. From the AWARE parking lot, take the Mountain Top Trail to the top of Arabia Mountain. The cache is roughly a half mile beyond the top of Arabia Mountain and about a mile from the parking lot. After reaching the top of Arabia Mountain, visitors can navigate to the cache by generally staying on the rock outcrop and following established footpaths thru any narrow sections of woodland. Be careful not to step on sensitive plants, such as diamorpha, moss, or lichen.
Salamanders at Arabia Mountain
Arabia Mountain, just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, is home to some amazing wildlife, including cool salamanders! Salamanders are small, soft-bodied creatures that live in moist, cool places like streams, springs, and wetlands. These are just the types of environments found around Arabia Mountain.
There are a few different types of salamanders that live around Arabia Mountain: the Eastern Tiger Salamander, Marbled Salamander, and Spotted Salamander. In the fall and early spring, these salamanders breed around places like the frog pond at the Nature Center. This pond fills with water during winter and spring, and after heavy rain.
The Eastern Tiger Salamander is one of the biggest salamanders in North America. They spend most of their time underground in burrows, and only come out to breed in the winter or early spring when ponds fill with water. You can easily spot them because of their yellow and black markings.
The Marbled Salamander has black and white or silver markings, which help it blend in with the dark forest floor. They love living in woods near small ponds that fill up with rainwater.
The Spotted Salamanderhas bright yellow or orange spots on its dark body. They live in damp, wooded areas, and breed in pools of water that form in the spring.
All of these salamanders are mole salamanders, which means they spend most of their lives underground. When it’s time to breed, the female finds a small pond and lays a cloud of jelly-like eggs that are fertilized by the male. It's important not to touch these egg masses because they are the future salamanders..
Why Salamanders Are Important
Salamanders play a key role in the ecosystem. They help keep the balance by eating insects and small animals, and they also serve as food for larger animals. Salamanders are very sensitive to their environment, so if their homes are clean and safe, the salamanders will thrive. But if their environment is polluted or damaged, they can struggle.
Arabia Mountain is a perfect home for these fascinating creatures, with its forests, granite outcrops, and wetlands. Unfortunately, salamanders face threats like pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change. It’s important for all of us to protect the environment so that these amazing animals can continue to thrive for generations to come.
Are You Ready to Find More Geocaches?
Come explore the
Arabia Mountain PATH
and earn trackable prizes along the way.
The
AMNHA Geo-PATH
is a geocaching program spread across more than 30 miles of the Arabia Mountain PATH hike and bike trail.
Many geocaches are waiting to be discovered.
Download the passports
Geocaching Adventures Passport
Each cache is classified into one of the following series:
• Adventure Labs
• Arabia Mountain Adventures
• Geocaching 101
• GeoTour
• Lands Less Visited
• Lithonia's Historic Hike
• Panola Mountain Pathways
• Past and Present Passages
• South River Stroll
Completed the passports?
Choose one of the following options to claim your prize:
Scan and email the Arabia Alliance Team
Scan and mail to the Arabia Alliance office
Additional Links
Trail Maps and
Landmarks
Learn and
Activities
Tips for Hiking in the Summer Heat
Tips for Avoiding Ticks
Winter Hikes and Winter Wildlife
Waypoints and
Adding or Viewing Coordinates
Trails Map Type Option